re two of the more
than twenty members of the Sangster Chapter who attend one school at
Germania, N. J. The Chapter meetings are held at the school on Fridays.
It wants correspondents, and to exchange flowers and minerals.

[Illustration: STAMPS]

This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp collectors,
and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the
subject so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor
Stamp Department.

At present all collectors appear to be hunting for varieties of the
United States stamps of the 1872 issue, some of the new varieties of
which were illustrated in these columns a short time ago. The fact that
the Continental Bank-Note Company were the successors of the National
Bank-Note Company in the printing of that issue has led to the belief
that each of the stamps printed by the Continental Company from the
plates made by the National Company bears some mark to distinguish the
company printing the stamps. Several of the values of the 1872 issue
having been found with such a mark, it would seem that all the values
were treated in the same manner, the only difficulty being to discover
the mark. No help can be obtained from the bank-note companies, as they
preserve absolute secrecy in regard to the stamps, it thus being left to
the collectors to study out the marks. While these exceedingly small
varieties will greatly puzzle the collector, they lead to one great
object, by showing that a close study of stamps is necessary in order to
be a successful collector, and only those who are willing to study out
these minute variations can get the full pleasure of the pursuit.

The auction season in stamps will close with the month of May, and the
great sales held this year show that collectors are using that method
for buying to a larger extent than ever.

An English paper states that the current adhesives of France have been
surcharged "Poste Francaise," for use of French offices in Madagascar.
There are nine values.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

WALTER BAKER & CO.

[Illustration]

The Largest Manufacturers of

PURE, HIGH GRADE

COCOAS AND CHOCOLATES

On this Continent, have received

HIGHEST AWARDS

from the great

Industrial and Food

EXPOSITIONS

In Europe and America.

* * * * *

Unlike the Dutch Process, no Alkalies or other Chemicals or Dyes are
used in any of their preparations.